Baylor University
Graduate Student Association
Handbook
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GSA Representative Handbook 2013-2014
Contents
Welcome to the GSA! .............................................................................................................................................2
GSA Mission Statement .........................................................................................................................................3
Your Responsibilities ..............................................................................................................................................4
GSA Constitution ...................................................................................................................................................5
ARTICLE I – The Graduate Student Association ...............................................................................................5
ARTICLE II – The GSA Assembly ....................................................................................................................5
ARTICLE III – Executive Cabinet .....................................................................................................................6
ARTICLE V – Amendment ................................................................................................................................8
ARTICLE VI – Ratification................................................................................................................................8
Committees .............................................................................................................................................................9
Social Life Committee ........................................................................................................................................9
Academic Affairs Committee .............................................................................................................................9
Policy Committee ...............................................................................................................................................9
Committee Contact Information ....................................................................................................................... 10
GSA Assembly Meeting Dates ............................................................................................................................. 11
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Welcome to the GSA!
We are so excited that you are here with the Baylor Graduate Student Association! We
appreciate your willingness to commit your time and energy to the GSA, and to help represent
the needs and concerns of your department and of all graduate students here at Baylor. Over
the past few years, the GSA has been growing and finding new ways to improve graduate
student life. We’ve addressed issues ranging from health insurance, to travel awards, to
graduate student housing. We also attempt to enhance the communal aspect of grad school
with some stress relief at social events like the monthly barbecues, fall tailgate and spring
picnic. Your ideas and commitment will fuel even greater success for the GSA as we move
forward in the coming year.
Christopher J. Bissex
President
Susan Moudry
Vice-President
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GSA Mission Statement
The Baylor University Graduate Student
Association is a community that strives to
enrich the quality of academic and social life for
students of each graduate program of Baylor
University as well as advocate the rights of
these students and voice their concerns.
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Your Responsibilities
The GSA constitution stipulates that as a GSA Representative you must attend three-fourths
of the monthly Assembly meetings. Your department will be required to appoint a
replacement if you are unable to attend at least this many. On dates you cannot attend the
Assembly, you should ensure that your Alternate is in attendance.
You are required to serve on one of the standing committees, and to assist with any
activities or events planned by your committee. There is a page at the back of this book for
you to enter the contact info of your fellow committee members.
You will have the responsibility of voting on motions proposed before the Assembly, and
electing officers to the Executive Cabinet.
As an alternate Representative, you are not required to attend Assembly meetings except in
the absence of the Representative. However, you are encouraged to come as often as
possible, and to actively participate on one of the committees. In the absence of the
Representative, you are required to attend the Assembly and vote on behalf of your
department.
For more details on this, please see the GSA constitution below.
Beyond your constitutional duties, both Representatives and Alternates share the
responsibility of ensuring that their department receives communications from GSA, and
that the particular needs and concerns of the department are being brought to the
attention of GSA.
Please try to be involved in GSA and to encourage other members of your department to
take advantage of the many benefits GSA has to offer.
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GSA Constitution
ARTICLE I – The Graduate Student Association
1. The name of the organization shall be the Baylor University Graduate Student Association
(GSA).
2. The membership of the organization shall consist of all graduate students enrolled at Baylor
University.
3. The GSA shall be governed by an Assembly of Representatives and an Executive Cabinet
consisting of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
ARTICLE II – The GSA Assembly
1. The GSA Assembly shall be composed of one Representative from each graduate
department at Baylor University, chosen by the graduate students of that department for a
term of one academic year.
An Alternate Representative, who shall attend the Assembly in the absence of the
Representative, shall be chosen by the graduate students of that department for a term of
one academic year.
Every Representative and Alternate shall be a graduate student enrolled in the department
they represent.
The times, places, and manner of choosing Representatives and Alternates shall be
prescribed by each graduate department by the graduate students thereof.
Each Representative shall be required to attend three quarters of the Assembly meetings
during the term of office.
2. The GSA Assembly shall meet at least once monthly during the academic year, with the
exception of the month of December.
3. Assembly procedure shall be determined by Robert’s Rules of Order, most recent edition,
unless otherwise specified by this constitution.
The GSA President shall preside over the Assembly, but shall have no vote, unless the votes
be equally divided.
Each Representative shall be allowed to speak and make proposals to the Assembly.
Each Representative shall have one vote on any proposals or elections submitted to the
Assembly.
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4. The Assembly shall determine GSA policy. It shall propose, plan, and approve any public
events or endeavors sponsored by the GSA.
The Assembly shall investigate complaints and concerns of graduate students and make
recommendations to the University on such issues.
The Assembly shall hear reports pertinent to the graduate student body from graduate
students and University officials.
The Assembly shall elect the officers of the GSA.
5. Any graduate student, including Alternates, may attend the Assembly as a non-voting
observer, but the Assembly shall go into a closed session upon a majority vote.
6. The Assembly shall include three standing committees: an Academic Affairs Committee, a
Social Life Committee, and a Policy Committee.
Each Representative shall be required to serve on one standing committee. A Representative
may be transferred to a different committee at the discretion of the GSA President.
Temporary committees may be formed by the order of the President.
Additional standing committees may be formed with the approval of a majority of the
Assembly.
At its first meeting, each committee shall elect a Chair, who shall serve for a term of one
academic year. Committee Chairs may be required at the discretion of the President to meet
with the Executive Cabinet.
ARTICLE III – Executive Cabinet
1. The Executive Cabinet shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer,
and shall meet weekly during the academic year, and at such other times as are necessary
for the execution of the business of the GSA.
2. The President and Vice-President shall be elected by a majority vote of the Assembly, at the
second meeting of the spring semester.
The President and Vice-President shall serve for a term of one year, beginning at the final
Assembly meeting of the academic year, and ending at the final Assembly meeting of the
following year.
No one shall be eligible for the offices of President or Vice-President who is not enrolled as a
graduate student at Baylor University for the duration of the term of office.
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In case of the removal of the President from office, or in such cases as the President is
unable to perform the office, the powers and duties of said office shall devolve to the VicePresident, until such time as the President can resume the office or a new President is
elected by the Assembly.
The President and Vice-President shall enforce this constitution and any resolutions of the
GSA Assembly and Executive Cabinet.
The President and Vice-President shall act as the official spokespersons of the GSA, address
the student body at the graduate student orientation, at the Assembly meetings, and at such
other times as are necessary.
A GSA Chaplain shall be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the
Assembly at the beginning of each academic year. The Chaplain shall be charged with
leading prayer at GSA Assembly meetings and other GSA events.
3. The GSA Secretary shall be chosen for a term of one academic year at the first Assembly
meeting of the academic year by a majority of Representatives present.
No person shall be eligible for the office of Secretary who is not enrolled as a graduate
student at Baylor University for the duration of the term of office.
The Secretary shall record minutes of Assembly meetings and Executive Cabinet meetings,
which shall be published on the GSA website as deemed necessary by a majority of the
Executive Cabinet.
The Secretary shall maintain and update the GSA website and social media accounts.
4. The GSA Treasurer shall be chosen for a term of one academic year at the first Assembly
meeting of the academic year by a majority of Representatives present.
No person shall be eligible for the office of Treasurer who is not enrolled as a graduate
student at Baylor University for the duration of the term of office.
The Treasurer shall formulate an annual GSA budget, which shall be approved by the
Executive Cabinet, and manage and report on the GSA budget in accordance with Baylor
University accounting policies.
5. Each GSA Officer may be removed from office of serious infractions or misdemeanors by a
vote of two-thirds of the Assembly.
6. The voluntary resignation before the end of the term of office of any GSA officer shall be
submitted to the Executive Cabinet, and an emergency election shall be held at the following
Assembly meeting.
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ARTICLE V – Amendment
Amendments to this constitution shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Cabinet at
least one month prior to ratification.
A proposed amendment shall be deemed valid upon receiving a vote of two-thirds at a
regular Assembly meeting.
ARTICLE VI – Ratification
A vote of two-thirds at a regular Assembly meeting shall be sufficient for the establishment
of this constitution as the supreme governing document of the GSA.
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Committees
Social Life Committee
The Social Committee organizes and plans events that encourage community among Baylor
graduate students. In particular, this includes GSA’s two largest events – the Football
Tailgate Mixer in the Fall, and the Graduate Picnic in the Spring during Graduate Student
Appreciation Week. In addition to those GSA traditions, the Social Committee is encouraged
to plan other social events for graduate students after consulting with the GSA Treasurer.
Academic Affairs Committee
The Academic Committee deals with matters directly affecting the academic life of the
graduate student body. This has included planning workshops or interdisciplinary
collaboration.
Policy Committee
The Policy Committee works to enhance Baylor University policies in order to better serve
the unique needs of graduate students. This includes health insurance and parental leave,
parking accommodations, library access, email storage space, etc. The Committee is
encouraged to submit proposals in writing to the Executive Cabinet for approval, so that
they can be voted on by the Assembly or sent to the appropriate Graduate School or
University administrators.
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Committee Contact Information
Name
Department
Phone
Email
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GSA Assembly Meeting Dates
August 29, 2013
September 26, 2013
October 10, 2013
November 21, 2013
January 23, 2014
February 27, 2014
March 27, 2014
April 24, 2014